TO-DAY'S ANNIVERSARIES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14159, 27 September 1911, Page 9

TO-DAY'S ANNIVERSARIES.

SEPTEMBER 27.

Battle of Tinehebrai .. ..1105 Jesuit Order founded IHO ik>Bsuet, eminent French moralist, born .. .. 1627 St. Vincent do Paul died .. .. IBO'J Gaorge Cruikshank born .. .. I~<ii2 George MiiUer born .. ]g<)s Battle of Busaco .. .. .. lelO Orleans occupied by Prussians .. 1670

The Older of Jesuits.—The famous Society or Company of Jesus was founded by Ignatius Loyola and five companions. Loyola was of high Spanish birth, and for a time lived" a more or less gay life, but having boon wounded in both legs at a siege, ho resolved to renounce tho military for tho ecclesiastical profession. He dedicated his life to the Blessed Virgin as ber knight, made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and on liis return, laid tho foundation of his Society at Paris, on August loth, lo&4. Rome for some time demurred to recognising the new Order, but when Ignatius aelded to tho vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, a fourth of implicit oliedience to the Holy See, tho institution was confirmed by a bull of Paul 111. on the above date. Ignatius was the first General, and the great aim of the Order was expressed in tho motto: "Ad Majcrem Dei Gloriam" ("To tho greater glory of God"). The founder, worn out by austerities, died in 1556, and was canonised. The Order grew and nourished, and sent out missionaries, among the greatest of whom was St. Francis Xavier, to the extremities of the habitable globe. Tho organisation of the Order was wonderful, but at length it became dangerous to the State through meddling with politics, and edicts were promulgated against it in many countries from time to time. It was at an early date ordered to be expelled from England, and in 1873 a decree was issued, expelling the Jesuits from Italy.

St. Vincent do Paul.—This is one of the most beloveel of modern Roman Catholic saints both for tho wonderful saintliness of his life, and his boundless oharity and good works. He was born in Gasoony, and one of the incidents of his early career was 'being captured by corsairs, and being sold into slavery. He appears, however, to have converted his master, with whom he landed in France, afterwards finding his way to Rome. He now formed associations for helping the sick, and visited prisons and gaileys. The story goes that in order to win tho heart of a particular galley-slave, he took ilia plaoe and wore his fetters. Ho now laid the foundation of what eventually grew into tho great and influential congregation of Priests of the Missions, an association of priests who assisted tho parochial clergy by preaching and hearing confessions periodically. The rules of the congregation were finally approved by Urban VLH. in 1632, and soon afterwards the Fathers established themselves in a house in Paris which once belonged to the military Order of St. Lazarus, whence their name of Lazarists is derived; they are also called Vincentines. Among the numberless charities in which Vincent de Paul engaged in, mention may be made of the establishment of the Foundling Hospital in Paris. The virtue which *ho Saint took to himself meet particularly was that of humility, and he never tired of inculcating it upon his followers. Ho died at the age of eighty-five at St. Lazare, and was canonised in 1737. He is the patron saint of many organisations in the Church, among them being the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, formed in Paris in 1833, for helping the poor.

Busaoo.—Near the Portuguese town of Busaoo, tho British, under Lord Wellington, repulsed the French under Messena. Tho latter lost one general and 1000 men killed, two generals and about 3000 men wounded, and several hundred prisoners; tho loss of the allies did not oxoeed 1300. The British, and Portuguese amounted to 40,000; tho French to about 65,000. After the battle the British retreated to the lines of Torres Vedras, too strong tor Messena to force, and the armies remained in sight of each, other till the end of the year.

George Miillcr. —Born in Prussia, Muller appears to have had dissipated habits iv youth, and was even sent to prison for defrauding a hotolkooper. Ho later went to Halle as a student of divinity, and an attendance at a prayer-meeting proved the turniug point in his career. He came to London in his twenty-fifth year, and studied Hebrew and Chaldean, with tho view of becoming a missionary to the Jews. Eventually be settled at Teignniouth as minister of Ebenezer Chapel, and in the conduct of his church abolished collections, and depended ou voluntary gifts. He is best known, however, as tho founder of the Orphan Homes, in Ashleytown, Bristol, whioh took shape in 1836. As the result only of "prayer to God" be announced that he had received £84,441 up to 1856 on behalf of the orphans, who then numbered 297; in ltf7s upwards of 2000 children wero lodged, fed and educated —tho result of faith and prayer and voluntary subscriptions on the part of the public. He died at tho great age of ninety-three.